Inline centrifugal fan with door



Feb. 4, 1969 R. c. GREENHE CK 3,425,621

INLINE CENTRIF-UGAL FAN WITH DOOR Filed Aug. 23, 1967 Sheet INVENTORROBERT c. GREENHECK uwn' j 1 14 ;r 15 331 r.. BY L ATTORNEY Feb. 4, 1969R. c. GREE4NHECK 3,

INLINE CENTRIFUGAL FAN WITH noon Filed Aug. 23, 1967 Sheet 2 of 5 24\ IINVENTOR 22 3 ROBERT c. GREENHECK n 59 t i G. 4 c j C Y r 4 LL j ,ff].xk'lz 2 ATTORNEY R. C- GREENHECK INLINE CENTRIFUGAL FAN WITH DOOR Feb.4, 1969 8 'Sheet 3 of Filed Aug. 25, 1967 INVENTOR ROBERT C. GREENHECKATTORNEY United States Patent 3,425,621 INLINE CENTRIFUGAL FAN WITH DOORRobert C. Greenheck, Schofield, Wis., assignor to Greenheck Fan &Ventilator C0rp., Schofield, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug.23, 1967, Ser. No. 662,824

US. Cl. 230-235 Int. Cl. F04b 39/00; F04d 25/06, 25/08 6 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE The problems of adapting a fan module to square orrectangular duct systems can involve significant expenditures of timeand money for transitional hardware and on-the-site tailoring of adapterducts. This invention provides a square inline fan module which iseasily installed in such duct systems with a minimum of labor andtransitional material. The fan module has a motor blower unit mounted ona swinging door; the fan module can be installed in any spaceorientation, that is angularly, vertically and horizontally, with thedoor disposed in any plane. The module is uniquely designed to supportthe weight of the motor blower unit in any position. The combinationalso includes a self-contained motor cooling system for the direct drivefan module which produces a flow of cooling air from outside of thesystem over the motor.

The adjustable frusto-conical inlet curb and the hinge means for thedoor are structurally coordinated to enable free swinging movement ofthe centrifugal wheel into mating alignment with the curb,

The structural elements of the fan are of a design which enables massproduction at a reasonable cost without sacrifice of structural andoperational integrity.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentupon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunctionwith the following drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a direct drive fan module mounted in asquare duct system which is shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of FIGURE 1 taken on a different angleand with the door in open position;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of the fan module of FIGURE 2 rotated90 with the door in closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view with parts separated of the hingearrangement of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view with the parts separated of the outletcross brace arrangement of FIG- UR-E 2;

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of a belt drive embodiment of the fanmodule; and

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURES l and 2 show the longitudinally extending square housing 15 andthe direct drive motor blower unit 16 mounted in cantilever fashion onthe door 17.

The housing 15 includes an inlet 18 and an outlet 19 at oppositelongitudinally aligned ends thereof. Opposed 3,425,621 Patented Feb. 4,1969 structural panels 20 and 21 provide walls for the housing and havestrengthening means 22 (FIGURE 4) along their longitudinal edges, eachstrengthening means 22 preferably being formed from the sheet materialof the panels by a facing member 23 at right angles to its panel 20, 21and a terminal member 24 parallel to its panel, facing member 23extending inwardly at right angles to its panel and terminal member 24extending'back along the panel to provide a channel. Closure panel 25 islongitudinally coextensive with an opposed pair of strengthening means22 and is fixedly joined to the facing members 23.

A frusto-conical inlet curb- 26 is mounted at the inlet end of thehousing; preferably the curb 26 is adjustably mounted on an inlet ring27 which provides a transverse wall 28 with a central opening 29, thering being fixedly connected to the housing elements at the inlet.FIGURE 3 shows the curb 26 bolted to the inlet ring 27; FIGURE 4 showsthe enlarged bolt holes 30 of the curb 26 and the bolts 31 which enableadjustment of the curb to provide mating alignment of the curb with theWheel 32. The nuts 33 of FIGURE 3 are not shown in FIGURE 4. The smalldiameter end 34 of the curb 26 is positioned a predetermined distanceinwardly of the inlet and is preferably in substantially transversealignment with the transverse swinging axis of the door 17 to facilitatefree swinging movement of the door between open and closed positions.When the door 17 is closed, the wheel 32 and curb 26- are preferablytelescoped together for optimum operation.

Right angle flanges 35 of inlet ring 27 brace the inlet 18; diagonalbrace means 36 and bands 37 brace the outlet 19.

The door assembly 40 is mounted on housing 15 by hinge means 41 whichextends between opposed strengthening means 22 of the housing, hingemeans 41 including support member 42, an angle post 43 and fixed hingeleaf 44, as shown in FIGURE 5. The other movable hinge leaf 45 isconnected tolfirst door panel 46 which in turn overlaps and is connectedto second door panel 47. Preferably movable hinge leaf 45 is sandwichedbetween the first door panel 46 and attached spaced longitudinallyextending door rail angles 48, these angles 48 also extending the lengthof and being connected to the second door panel 47.

It will be noted that the direct drive embodiment of FIGURES 1-6 as wellas the belt drive embodiment of FIGURES 7 and 8 utilizes the samehousing 15 and through proper selection of the support member 41, firstdoor panel 46 and second door panel 47, the mounting of the motor blowerunit 16 can be accomplished while maintaining mating alignment of thewheel 32 and the cunb 26. It will be obvious that various dimensionalchanges of these elements of the door assembly 40 can be made to suitvarious requirements.

Referring again to the modification of FIGURES 1-6, the motor blowerunit 16 is mounted on the door 17 by a U-shaped tunnel bracket 50 whichhas legs 51 mounted on the inside of the door 17 and connected to theangles 48 with the unit 16 being mounted on the intermediate mountingplate 52 thereof with the wheel 32 positioned between the plate 52 andthe curb 26. The motor 53 is protected by a cover 54 connected to the:mounting plate 52 which defines a chamber which is also part of thecooling flow path for the motor, the air being caused to flow throughintake pipe 55 and discharge pipe 56 extending between the door 17 andthe mounting plate 52 by a fan blade 57 within the chamber on the motor.An arcuate or spiral air guide 58 is provided for the fan blade 57.Preferably the electrical connection 59 to the motor can be made throughthe intake pipe 55.

. The belt driveembodiment of FIGURES 7 and 8 includes a belt drivemeans 60 which operatively interconnects the motor 61 and the wheel 62through bearing means 63 mounted on the mounting plate 64 of the tunnelbracket 65. The motor 61 is adjustably mounted in a conventional fashionon motor bracket 66 on the outside of the second door panel 67, fromwhich panel extends a tube 68 which connects with the mounting plate 64and houses the belt 69. A cover 70 is provided over the mounting plate64 for the bearing means 63, shaft 72 and pulley 73.

While the invention has been described with reference to a certainembodiment, it is to be considered illustrative rather than limiting,and it is intended to cover all further embodiments that fall within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An inline centrifugal fan module comprising a longitudinallyextending housing and a door assembly mounted thereon defining anenclosed duct having an inlet and an outlet, said duct beingsubstantially square in transverse cross section;

said housing including opposed structural panels, a

closure panel connected to said structural panels, and a frusto-conicalinlet curb mounted at the inlet end of the housing with its smalldiameter end being positioned a predetermined distance inwardly of saidinlet;

said door assembly including a hinge means extending transverselybetween the structural panels at the inlet end of the housing, a doormounted on said hinge means for swinging movement about a transverseaxis located substantialy said predetermined distance from. said inlet,and a motor blower unit mounted on said door, said motor blower unithaving a wheel which is longitudinally mated with said end of said inletcurb when the door is in closed position and which can be freely swungoutwardly with the door to open position.

2. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1 and includingan inlet ring connected to said housing at the inlet providing atransverse wall with a central circular opening, said frusto-conicalinlet curb being adjustably mounted on said inlet ring to enablealignment of said small diameter end with the wheel.

3. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1 and whereinsaid opposed structural panels have strengthening means along theirlongitudinal edges, and said housing includes diagonal brace means atsaid outlet. 4. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1and wherein said door assembly includes a U-shaped tunnel bracket havinglegs mounted on the inside of said door and an intermediate mountingplate, said motor blower unit being mounted on said mounting plate withsaid wheel positioned between said plate and said curb. 5. An inlinecentrifugal fan module as defined in claim 4 and wherein said doorassembly includes a cover over said mounting plate defining a chamberand enclosing the portion of the motor blower unit mounted thereon andan intake pipe and a discharge pipe connected between said mountingplate and said door for providing a cooling air flow path for saidmotor, said motor having a fan blade within said chamber for producing acooling air flow. 6. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined inclaim 1 and wherein said door assembly includes a U-shaped tunnelbracket having legs mounted on the inside of said door and anintermediate mounting plate, the motor of said motor blower unit beingmounted on the outside of said door, said wheel being positioned betweensaid mounting plate and said curb, belt drive means operativelyinterconnecting the motor and the wheel and having bearing means mountedon said mounting plate, a tube for housing the belt extending from thedoor to the mounting plate, and a cover over said mounting plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,458,045 1/1949 Angus 34 2223,305,163 2/1967 Sheppard 230-117 ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 230-117

